


stumbling around in the dark

by greeksalad



Category: Life of the Party D&D (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Car rides, Fluff, M/M, big found family vibes, but even bigger gay disaster vibes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23364679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greeksalad/pseuds/greeksalad
Summary: When he turned to look, any remarks on the tip of his tongue faded as quickly as they’d arrived at the sight of Vanden, fast asleep and slumped sideways in his seat. His eyelashes were dark smudges against his cheeks, mouth lax and slightly open, and Cassian could only stare in absolute disbelief as Vanden unconsciously tipped over and rested his head on Cassian’s shoulder.
Relationships: Cassian/Vanden (Life of the Party)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	stumbling around in the dark

It was late out; the only light was the dull, sickly orange glow of the streetlamps overhead. They’d been driving for a few minutes now, and the faint smell of booze still clung to the air inside the car. It was Sariel’s, a tiny little thing, the kind where you had to push down the front seat and climb over to get into the back. Cassian hated it, but he loved Sariel too much to complain. 

The group had split up when they’d left the pub; Astra, Boblem, Arenthias and Jocelyn in one car, and the others in Sariel’s mini death trap. They’d collectively given up on trying to beat Else on calling shotgun – even while drunk she was still alarmingly fast to claim the passenger seat as her own – and so Cassian was crammed into the tiny backseat with Vanden, who, as per usual, did not seem happy about it. He had pressed himself as far as he could into the corner of the car away from Cassian, like a cat trying to avoid getting pet. Cassian had briefly considered putting his feet in Vanden’s lap, just to piss him off, but had decided against it.

The car was quiet, only separated from silence by the faint murmuring of the radio, and that was how Cassian preferred it. It had been a good night, filled with raucous laughter and warm smiles and that quiet sense of familial comradery that Cassian had never managed to find anywhere else, and he’d rather not have it ruined by someone starting a singalong or petty arguments – as much as he loved a good argument, Cassian was also a firm believer in having some time with his thoughts.

It was there, stuck in the backseat of the car, quietly staring out the window at the blur of apartment buildings and scraggly trees, that Cassian felt a gentle nudge on his shoulder.

When he turned to look, any remarks on the tip of his tongue faded as quickly as they’d arrived at the sight of Vanden, fast asleep and slumped sideways in his seat. His eyelashes were dark smudges against his cheeks, mouth lax and slightly open, and Cassian could only stare in absolute disbelief as Vanden unconsciously tipped over and rested his head on Cassian’s shoulder.

Cassian barely dared to move, to breathe, to _blink._ Vanden’s head was a solid weight on his shoulder, simultaneously grounding and dizzying. Even as Cassian openly stared, body stiff and a little wild-eyed in shock, Vanden made a little sleepy noise, a low hum and a quiet smack of lips, and huddled in even closer so that his entire body was pressed up against Cassian’s side.

For someone whose hands were always so cold, _god,_ was Vanden’s body warm. It was like being next to a furnace. Normal-Cassian, the one that was actually in control of his brain, would have hated it.

Current-Cassian, who was delirious and extremely stupid, found himself not minding so much.

Vanden’s soft hair was brushing his cheek. It smelled like mint and aloe, or something like that - some of that fancy shit that rich people always use. Under that, though, there was the faintest hint of that tea that he chugs by the gallon – rose and strawberry, maybe – woodsmoke and honey mead, and that, _that_ was all Vanden.

_God, why did he know that? That’s just sad._

A pale, freckled hand fisted loosely into Cassian’s shirt, just below the breastbone. Vanden nuzzled in even closer, tucking his face further into Cassian’s neck until his lips grazed the thin skin of his throat.

Cassian made a quiet, panicked noise in the back of his throat.

Up in the front, Elyse was passed out and snoring quietly, but Sariel, perfect, ever-perceptive Sariel, looked up at the rear-view mirror with a small noise of concern and locked eyes with Cassian.

Cassian widened his eyes and gestured minutely to Vanden with his free hand; the other was now squished awkwardly between his and Vanden’s thighs. _Help me_ , he pleaded, silently hoping he’d learnt how to telepathize in the last thirty seconds. _You’re the only one here I like._

Sariel stared at the two of them for a second, then, breaking Cassian’s heart in one fell swoop, dropped her gaze and focused back on the road. She didn’t make a sound, but he could’ve sworn he saw her lips twitch in the reflection of the mirror.

And he _knew_ it was stupid, _knew_ it was not very cold-hearted-bitch of him, but Cassian couldn’t bring himself to mind the lack of intervention as much as he should’ve, because it meant that Vanden got to stay resting up against him, soft and warm and so much more vulnerable than he’d ever seen him before.

As if Vanden was doing it on purpose to cause Cassian the maximum amount of emotional turmoil, he shifted again and made a little huffing noise, warm breath breezing across Cassian’s skin and startling a small squeak out of him.

Up in the driver’s seat, there was the unmistakable sound of a snort.

Cassian glared silently at the beat-up upholstery.

 _I am not affected by this at all. I have no feelings aside from very cool, indifferent neutrality for the pretty redhead that’s practically_ in _my lap right now. None._

The thing about Cassian, though, was that he liked pretty things a lot. In fact, he was _well known_ for his love of pretty things.

Cassian, still glaring, still stubbornly ignoring the heat beneath his cheeks and the shocks of electricity that zinged under his skin every time Vanden’s lips brushed up against his neck, sank down a little further in his seat and let his limbs relax ever so slightly.

He would just wait it out, try and bear this _terrible burden_ for as long as he could manage, then, when he woke up, he’d shrug Vanden off and call him a nerd.

Perfect.

Everything was fine.

**Author's Note:**

> look. Look. i'm just soft for them okay. that's all


End file.
